AI Engineer Equity Guide: RSUs, Options & More
Equity can be worth more than your salary—or nothing at all.
Learn how to evaluate what you're actually being offered.
Is That Equity Offer Actually Worth Anything?
You got offered '50,000 shares.' That means nothing without strike price, share count, and valuation. Most engineers can't evaluate equity.
Startup options become worthless more often than not. 90% of startups fail, and most options expire out of the money.
Four-year vesting with one-year cliff means you might leave before seeing any value. Vesting schedules favor the company.
AI Engineer Equity Types Explained
The World-Class AI Engineer Cohort
Based on compensation data and my experience evaluating equity packages at startups and public companies. Treat equity differently based on company stage.
RSUs (Restricted Stock Units)
Public company: Shares with known value. Vest over 4 years. Most reliable—like delayed cash.
ISOs (Incentive Stock Options)
Startup: Right to buy shares at strike price. Tax-advantaged but risky. Worth $0 if company fails.
NSOs (Non-Qualified Stock Options)
More common for senior hires. Taxed as income on exercise. Less favorable but more flexible.
Refresh Grants
Annual additional equity grants. Often 25-50% of initial grant at top companies. Keep total comp growing.
Meet Your Mentor
My aim has been the same for years: become a world-class AI engineer. Every career move I've made has been measured against that.
I started as a software tester on a $500/month internship in the Netherlands. Taught myself to code, learned to ship real systems, and worked my way to Senior Engineer at GitHub.
Then I left GitHub. I joined an AI research lab as Member of Technical Staff, where I currently build products for secure AI monitoring.
The cohort draws directly from my real experience so you can make progress fast.
I run this special cohort with only a few people because hands-on work with me is what it takes to bring you to become a world-class AI engineer.
Real Results
Vittor
AI Engineer
Built and deployed his portfolio piece, then landed the AI role
"The coaching played a huge part in my success. I focused on AI fundamentals, the certification path, and soft skills like professional writing. Having access to expert guidance gave me confidence during interviews and helped me feel I was on the right path.
I built my own platform (simple but functional) and deployed it on AWS. I used it in my portfolio and showcased it during interviews. The way complex topics were explained, especially the restaurant analogy for AI systems, really stuck with me. Focusing on doing the basics well was absolutely essential."
What You Will Get
8 Weekly Tuesday Sessions
3 hours each for 24 live hours total.
Project Scoping at Kickoff
We set the scope of what you'll ship and the milestones to get there before the live sessions start.
Code Reviews
Reviews of your code from Zen during the cohort.
Lifetime Demo Access
Every architecture demo is recorded and yours to keep.
Demo Day
You present what you built and get feedback from Zen, with a recording you can use in your portfolio.
12 Months Community Access
Included with the cohort.
Master Equity to Maximize Your AI Engineering Wealth
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I evaluate startup equity as an AI engineer?
Get these numbers: 1) Number of shares offered, 2) Strike price, 3) Total shares outstanding (fully diluted), 4) Latest 409A valuation, 5) Last funding round valuation. Calculate ownership percentage and current paper value. Then discount heavily: pre-seed 95%, seed 90%, Series A 80%, Series B 60%. Most startup equity is worth zero. Only take startup equity if you'd join even if options were worthless.
Are RSUs better than stock options for AI engineers?
RSUs are safer, options have more upside. RSUs at public companies have known value—$100K in RSUs is worth $100K (minus taxes). Options at a 10x growth startup could turn $50K into $500K. But at a failing startup, options are worth zero while RSUs at a mature company still pay out. I prefer RSUs for stability, options only if I genuinely believe the company will 5x+.
How much equity do AI engineers get at each level?
FAANG RSUs (per year, vested): Junior $30K-$60K, Mid $50K-$100K, Senior $100K-$200K, Staff $150K-$350K, Principal $250K-$500K+. Startup options (% ownership): Junior 0.01-0.05%, Mid 0.05-0.15%, Senior 0.1-0.3%, Staff 0.25-0.75%, Principal 0.5-1.5%. Early employees get more, but also more risk.
How do I negotiate equity in an AI engineer offer?
At public companies: Ask for target total comp in equity terms. 'I'm looking for $400K TC' lets them flex between cash and RSUs. At startups: Negotiate percentage, not shares. Ask about refresh grants and acceleration clauses. Always ask: What happens to my equity if there's an acquisition? What's the exercise window if I leave? Can equity be clawed back?
What vesting schedules should AI engineers expect?
Standard: 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff. You get 25% after year 1, then monthly or quarterly vesting. FAANG: Often back-weighted. Amazon: 5/15/40/40%. Google: Equal 25% yearly. Startups: Usually standard 4-year cliff. Negotiate for: Shorter cliff (6 months), acceleration on acquisition (single/double trigger), longer post-termination exercise window.
What are the tax implications of AI engineer equity?
RSUs: Taxed as ordinary income when they vest. Simple—sell enough to cover taxes. ISOs: No tax on grant or exercise (up to AMT limits), capital gains on sale if held 1 year post-exercise + 2 years post-grant. NSOs: Taxed as income on exercise (spread between strike and FMV). Exercise strategy matters: early exercise, 83(b) election, or wait. Consult a tax professional—equity taxes are complex.
I've signed up for cohorts before and dropped out. How is this different?
It probably isn't, and you should hold the money. Most cohort dropouts are people who couldn't articulate what they were shipping when they signed up. That's why the consult exists, and why I turn down most applications. If we get on the call and you can't tell me what you'll have shipped at the end of week 8, I'll point you to the AI Native Engineer community until you can.
I'm not pivoting careers. I want to build a product. Does this still work?
Yes, the cohort works for people shipping their first serious AI system whether the goal is to land a senior role or to launch a product. The shipped system serves both equally well.
Do I need prior AI experience?
You need to be able to code in Python or TypeScript. Complete beginners can follow the classroom they get access to before the cohort sessions to come in well-prepared.
How much time will this take?
You'll spend 3 hours every Tuesday in the live session and roughly 3 hours of async work in between, for 8 weeks. The Tuesday session time is fixed.
What does it cost?
It's a four-figure investment that we discuss during the 30-minute consult, alongside whether the cohort is the right fit for your project.
Can I do this while working full-time?
Yes, most attendees do. The live session is one Tuesday a week and the async work fits around your existing schedule, as long as you can carve out roughly 6 hours a week.
I accept those who have the highest chance of success.
In the 30-minute call we discuss your goals and whether you are ready for the program.